Improvement in feed-water heaters



.TQMURPHY; Peed-Water Heater.

Pate nted Jan. 21, 18179.

N PETERS. PHOTO-LITMOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, D C

ZMW

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS MURPHY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT lN FEED-WATER HEATERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 211,519, dated January21, 1879; application filed July 22, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS MURPHY, of Detroit, in the county of Wayneand State of Michigan, have invented an Improvement in Feed-WaterHeaters, of which the following is a specification:

' The nature of my invention relates to cerview of my improvedfeed-water heater with a portion of the shell broken out to show theinterior arrangement of parts. Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectionalelevation. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the conical diaphragms. Fig.4 is a like view of one of the inverted conical diaphragms.

Like letters refer to like parts in each figure.

In the accompanying.drawings, which form a part of this specification, Arepresents the shell or case of a heater, preferably cylindrical inform, provided with a water-inlet pipe, B, closed and perforated at itsdischarge end, as shown. It is also provided with a steam-inlet pipe, 0,closed and perforated atits discharge end, and also with a water-outletpipe, D, of the usual construction. E are flattened conical shapeddiaphragms secured within the shell, so as to divide it into water-tightcompartments, and so arranged that the apex of the upper diaphragm willpoint directly to the center of the inlet-water pipe. Near the outeredge of these conical diaphragms there are punched from the upper side,so as to leave the burrs upon the under side, a series of small holes,a; and at a little distance inside this series of holes is anotherseries of holes, I), punched from the under .side, so as to leave theburrs upon the upper side. F are similarlyshaped diaphragms, inverted,and similarly secured in the shell, dividing the compartments made bythe diaphragms E. Around the center of these diaphragms F is a series ofholes, 0, punched from the upper side, leaving the burrs projecting fromthe under side; and outside this series of holes is another series, (I,

punched from the under side, leaving the burrs projecting from the upperside. A circular opening, 6, in the center of these diaphragms F alsoaffords communication between the compartments immediately above andbelow them. These openings should be burred or flanged upon the upperside. The lower diaphragm embraces the steam-inlet pipe below theperforations in its discharge end, and the holes punched in thisdiaphragm are from the upper side, leaving the burrs projecting from itsunder side, and forms a chamber in the lower part of the shell, intowhich no steam can enter, and from which the water is drawn through ,the0utlet-pipe D.

The steam-inlet pipe 0 is provided with a valve, G, of any suitableconstruction, which may be operated by hand by means of its stem hprojecting through the pipe; or this stem may be connected to aneccentric, so as to open with each exhaust of the engine to admit theexhaust-steam, and close at once to prevent its escape byback-pressurefrom the water or other causes; or the valve may be so constructed as tobe operated by the pulsations of the exhaust-steam.

In practice, the water enters at the top of the shell through theperforations in the end of the inlet-pipe, and is discharged upon theimperforated center of the upper diaphragm, and runs down the sides ofthe cone in a thin sheet and through the outer series of holes, beingstopped from passing through the inner series of holes by theupwardly-proj ectin g burrs. The water falls upon the imperforated outerportion of the next diaphragm below, and runs to the center series ofholes, being prevented from passing through the outer series of holes bytheir upwardly-projecting burrs; and so on through each succeedingseries of diaphragms until it is collected in the chamber at the bottomof the heater. At the same time the steam enters from below through theperforations in the discharge end of the steaminlet pipe. The steam isdischarged against the imperforated center of the lower conicaldiaphragm, and passes to the compartment above through the series ofholes next the outer series, the downwardly-projecting burrs thereonpreventing its passage through them; thence it passes upward through thesucceeding diaphragms, through these series of holes therein, the burrsof which project upward. Thus the water in thin sheets and small columnsfalling downward is brought into contact with the rising steam undersimilar conditions, and is highly heated by such contact before itreaches the chamber, from which it is drawn at the bottom. Any lime inthe water will be found deposited upon the imperforated and upperportions of the diaphragms; and, if desired, suitable hand-holes may bearranged in the shell for the purpose of removing such deposit.

It will be observed that there is no outlet for steam from the shell, sothat all the steam injected into my heater during its operation iscondensed and returns with the heated water to the generator.

The area of the perforations in the end of the water-inlet pipe, andalso perforations for the passage of water through the diaphragms,should equal the area of said inlet-pipe, and the perforations in theend of the steam-inlet pipe and the perforations in the diaphragms forthe passage of steam should equal the area of said inlet pipe. The areaof the outlet-water pipe should be a little larger than the area of theinlet-water pipe, to allow of the passage of the water of condensationwith the feed-water.

It will be seen from the operation of myimproved heater that it is afeed-water heater, a lime-extractor, and a steam-condenser, all in onedevice.

I am aware that feed-water heaters have been and are now in use,provided with devices for bringing the falling water into contact withthe rising steam, consequently I do not broadly claim such heaters butWhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-- 1. In feed-water heaters, the combination of conical diaphragmswith alternating inverted conical-shaped diaphragms, the formerperforated near their edges, and the latter near their centers,substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. The combination, with the shell A, of the water-inlet pipe 13, withclosed perforated end, placed centrally in the top of such shell, thealternately-arranged conical diaphragms E F, perforated at their edgesand centers, the steam-inlet pipe 0, having closed perforated end andrising through the bottom of the shell, and the water-outlet D, allconstructed and arranged substantially as described and shown.

THOS. MURPHY.

Witnesses:

H. S. SPRAGUE, O. H. S. HART.

